This application is not related to any pending applications.
This application is not referenced in any microfiche appendix.
In general, the present invention relates to the fabrication of fishing lures. In particular, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for applying a bait fish likeness to a three-dimensional pliable fishing lure contour via a four color pad printing process.
Fishing lures presenting a bait fish likeness and methods and apparatus for fabricating such lures are well known in the art. For example:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,528,189 issued on Sep. 15, 1970 to D. L. Lilley Jr. discloses a fishing lure which includes a photographic, lithographic or similar representation of a bait fish contained in a clear plastic form having the exterior shape and surface structure of the bait fish.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,611 issued on Oct. 21, 1980 to Welbourne D. McGahee discloses a method and apparatus for producing fishing lures incorporating hook hangers which utilize a bore formed in the lure body as part of the connection mechanism. Injection molding techniques are utilized to fill cavity molds having removable inserts therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,857 issued on Aug. 14, 1984 to Daniel P. Olszewski discloses a fishing lure and method of fabrication wherein the lure is comprised of a central core which includes hook hangers, leader connection means and a depth controlling weight. The central core is surrounded by an image of the bait being duplicated by the fishing lure and that assembly is encased in a clear plastic shell which includes lenses formed within the plastic material to create a life-like visual impression of various portions of the bait such as eyes, fins and gills.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,642 issued on May 19, 1987 to Kenneth Steinman discloses a spoon type fishing lure which includes a body of fish shape lying in a first plane and having front and rear surfaces, and a barbed hook in a right angular plane, including a shank bearing against the rear surface, at one end secured thereto and intermediate its ends extending through one end of the body and terminating a reverse turned barb spaced from the rear surface. A week deflector bar at one end is secured to the forward end of a lure body upon its rear surface with its other end aligned with and spaced from the barb. A peripheral flange on the body extends outwardly of the front surface and receives a paper strip which has a fish imprint thereon and is adhesively mounted upon lure body. A protective layer of transparent plastic material overlies the strip and extends to the flange. In a modified lure, the hook shank is retainingly nested in an elongated groove in the lure body and secured thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,071 issued on Aug. 8, 1989 to Jay Kendall discloses a fishing spoon which imitates the effect of light rays passing through a fish. The fishing spoon is comprised of hydrodynamic body or translucent plastic having color zones whereby light passing through assumes the color of the body, the body having an aperture at one end to attach a hook and an aperture at the opposed end to attach a fishing line.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,395 issued on Oct. 12, 1993 to Craig Wickland discloses a durable, colorfast elastomer fishing lure dressings and lures including same wherein silicone based colorants are printed onto the dressing material. In a preferred construction, a planar, elastomer substrate is printed on desired upper and lower surfaces with a silicone based colorant in desired patterns. The colorant is permanently fixed in a subsequent thermal curing step. Metalized, accent foils may be bonded to the colorant before curing. The colorant comprises a liquid vinyl silicone carrier which may include varieties of colored pigments, scents, glitters and chromatic particulates.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,703 issued on Oct. 11, 1994 to Paul T. Rieker discloses a printing unit system which produces multi-color printing employing a single plate cylinder of a fist diameter and a pair of blanket cylinders of a second diameter one-halve that of the plate cylinder. The blanket cylinders impact associated impression cylinders, also of the second diameter, at the paper path and, in one embodiment, the two impression cylinders mate with a transfer cylinder. By using blanket and impression cylinders having portions with different diameter, multi-color, superimposed images are printed, two colors at a time. The images for the various colors are produced on a single film under computer control for creation of plates for mounting on the plate cylinder and are not adjustable with respect to one another.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,220 issued on Oct. 15, 1996 to Peter J. Blicha discloses a fishing lure and method of making the same. The line is made by taking a conventional leadhead jig having a main body, an integral extension, and a hook placing prism tape on both sides of the jig body. The taped jig is then placed in a mold and clear fiberglass resin is cast about it sealing in the prism tape. This is now removed from the mold, painted to simulate a small bait fish and simulated eyes are taped on the jig body. The jig body is dipped into clear fiberglass resin which covers up any imperfections sealing in the simulated eyes. A conventional flexible soft plastic body and tail combination may now be inserted onto the jib extension portion and hook completing the lure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,631 issued on Jun. 17, 1997 to Elmer A. Guerri and William Thomas Mann discloses a fishing lure wherein a polygonal body shape is employed to provide a set of complementary planar surfaces on which a photographic reproduction of a bait fish may be applied to provide a realistic lure without distortion of the photographic portion of the lure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,689,910 issued on Nov. 25, 1997 to Seiji Kato and subsequently assigned to Daiwa Seiko Inc. discloses an artificial bait which can provide a great effect to attract fish by light emissions or reflection from air bubbles contained in the artificial bait. A large number of air bubbles are enclosed within an artificial bait main body formed of elastic material having flexibility and light transmissible property wherein the air bubbles may be deformed to enhance the attractiveness of the bait.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,089 issued on Jan. 5, 1999 to Wayne F. Hockmeyer and Kenneth Daubert discloses a pliable bait minnow having a head, body, and a tail. Twin lower fins attached to the belly of the pliable bait minnow and an upper dorsal fin attached along the upper back. The body is translucent with light reflective particles dispersed throughout the pliable bait minnow. The fish is life-like in that it incorporates a two tone effect. The lower portion of the body having a lighter coloration. The middle portion of the body having a textured surface area resembling scales. The mouth includes a wire coil which attaches the pliable bait minnow to the hook.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,018,902 issued on Feb. 1, 2000 to Clyde Gudermuth, Daniel Stone, Charles Williams and Kevin Murray and subsequently assigned to EBSCO Industries, Inc. discloses a multi-layered iridescent reflective coating for a fishing lure and the method for applying the coating to the surface of the lure. The coating preferably comprises a base layer, an optical stack comprising at least 3 layers of refractive material, and a protective layer. The layers of refractive material are vacuum deposited on a lure pre-coated with an ultraviolet cured polymer base layer. The optical stack can be applied to painted lures, pre-colored lures, or undercoated lures. The substrate, or lure surface, does not affect the process but can yield varying iridescent effects, depending on the texture and color of the substrate surface. The relative thickness of each optical layer and its relation to the other layers in the optical stack combine to achieve a variety of iridescent effects. A protective layer having a low refractive index is applied over the finished optical stack.
Noticeably absent from the present art is a method and apparatus by which a bait fish, or other similarly intended likeness, may be applied to a three dimensional pliable fishing lure contour via a four-color print pad process. The present invention discusses, discloses and claims a method and apparatus by which such an advancement in the art of fishing lure fabrication can be appreciated.
The present invention teaches a method and apparatus by which a bait fish or other likeness may be applied to a three dimensional pliable fishing lure contour via a four color pad print process. The present invention""s print processing mold allows the nesting of a flexible three dimensional fishing lure contour and allows imprinting upon a flexible surface of a bait fish or other likeness. Consequently, it is an object of the instant invention to apply a bait fish likeness to a three dimensional pliable fishing lure contour via a four color pad print process.
A further object of the instant invention is to advance the art of fishing lure fabrication by teaching an apparatus to accommodate four color pad print processing of pliable fishing lures.
Yet another object of the instant invention is to advance the art of four color pad print processing to allow fabrication of pliable and realistic appearing fishing lures.
Yet an additional object of the instant invention is to imprint a realistic bait fish image on a flexible fishing lure.
A further object of the instant invention is to allow exactness of detail in the reproduction of fishing lure patterns via a four color pad print process.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a teaching of method and apparatus to allow mass production of realistic looking bait fish images upon a pliable fishing lure.
A further object of the instant invention is to teach a method by which a four color pad print process may be utilized to fabricate pliable fishing lures.
Yet a further object of the instant invention is to teach a method by which four color pad print processing ink will adhere to the surface of a pliable fishing lure contour.
Other objects and further scope of the applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description to follow, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like parts are designated by like reference numerals.